"Customer service" is a term commonly heard in the restaurant or retail industry, but as the landscape of health care continues to shift and change, it's something St. Luke's Episcopal Health System is taking to heart.

"St. Luke's expects that employees first acknowledge the patient and introduce themselves, explain why they are with the patient and help set expectations for patients surrounding upcoming care delivery," Bailey-Newell said.

"All employees are trained on this technique as part of hospital orientation."

But customer service in the commerce of care isn't something that begins and ends with a patient's on-site visit. The pre- and post-experience counts as well.

"In many locations, we personalize the experience while patients are waiting for service," Bailey-Newell said.

"Rather than calling a patient's name aloud across a busy waiting room, we greet the patient at their seat and personally escort them to their destination."

SLEHS strives to contact 100 percent of patients who have been seen in any of the system's facilities.

Discharge phone calls by nursing staff ensure that follow-up appointments have been made, that patients understand discharge instructions and medications, and that any remaining questions are answered.

Staff is encouraged to distribute customized journals to patients. By documenting questions for physicians and nurses, patients and their families better understand the care they're receiving.

To augment patient care, it's standard practice for caregivers to check on inpatients every hour, but to take it to the next level, nurses are required to regularly make rounds as well.

"We know that being a patient in any hospital can be a foreign, and even scary, experience for patients," said Margaret Van Bree, SLEH chief executive officer and SLEHS senior vice president.

"We expect our employees to serve patients with this in mind and take time to alleviate fear, provide comfort and welcome questions."